Thibault de Robillard, hobbyist guitarist from Mauritius. This blog is about the Fractal Audio Axe Fx II and Atomic AmpliFire guitar processors, and about my musical experiences
Donations
I used to share my presets for free, but now I'm doing it commercially, so I removed all the download links for older firmwares. Check my quantum 2.0 thread for the details. However, if you want the presets for an older firmware you're still using, send me a message on d3usxm4ch1n4@gmail.com
My presets have been updated to V10.02... Here's a demo :
Note that I tweaked some of my sounds since uploading that to youtube. Leads (009, 010, 019, 020) are (imho) improved, some bugs have been fixed, I also improved the presets 14, 15, 16, 25, 31, 34, 62, and reorganized the patches in banks B & C.
I use 3 expression pedals with the MFC-101 ; for my live presets (001-062), pedal 1 usually controls gain or other special effects, pedal 2 wha or whammy, pedal 3 volume. Some MFC-101 settings : bank size = 10, switches 11-15 assigned to scenes 1-5, which I uses a lot in my presets, switch 16 = tempo/tuner, switch 17 = volume boost.
Here's how my presets are organized :
Bank A
001-062 : Live use. Basic sounds in bank (presets 1-10), then song specific presets. Most uses scenes for variations.
063-087 : "blank" presets with a basic template in case I want to start a
preset from scratch. I also upload other users' presets I want to test
here.
088-091 : Temporary presets I use to record a demo for another band
074-107
: "blank" presets
108-128 : Other presets for live use, or just
having fun at home
Bank B
129-196
: Mid and high gain amp models, for lead and rhythm, sorted by amp model. Presets are
either stock (with V10 in the name), by
other users (and usually tweaked to my liking), or by myself from
scratch.
201-213 : Vox amps
217-256 : Boutique amps, presets for blues-rock or fusion
Bank C
257-290 : Marshall models (and clones, except the Friedmans which are in bank B, 175-183)
293-302 : Special effects, with distortion
304-384
: Cleans, special effects, synths, bass, templates. I tweaked the
amps/cabs/EQ in most of the special effects presets so they're close to
my basic clean sounds.
Here's some other videos showing some presets. The U2 one have been refined since. Please read the "About" on Youtube for details.
Those who downloaded my presets for firmware 7, some months ago, may have noticed a preset named "Rectoball". Rather than a gratuitous display of my good taste regarding presets naming (although it would have been funnier with a "s" in the end), it was in fact a combination of two presets from Ola Englung, the chug master ( https://www.facebook.com/fearedse ), one using a "Rectifier" model (aka "Recto"), the other a Powerball. I panned one amp full left, the other full right. Sounded quite powerful.
Now, with the recent "Scene" feature, more things are possible with dual amp configs, like combining a rhythm and a lead preset into one, or two rhythm presets etc. Which I just did with the Marco Sfogli and Periphery (Bulb and Nolly) presets.
Here you' ll find three presets (right click, save as) :
In the Sfogli one, I combined his rhythm and lead presets. Scenes 1-3 are his rhythm tone, without and with delay and chorus. Scenes 4-5 are his lead preset (although I added a reverb even if he doesn't use one, but you can bypass it for these scenes)
For the Bulb/Nolly rhythm preset, you have :
Scene 1 : Bulb
Scene 2 : Nolly
Scene 3 : both, panned hard left/right - that's right, an instant Periphery stereo rhythm sound :)
I did the same for the Bulb/Nolly lead preset, although a stereo panning (scene 3) is less interesting for leads
These are just some basic examples of what is possible. Don't hesitate to experiment these ideas, combining your own presets, or presets downloaded from Axe Change !
Some presets for two guitars - I did a full show with my friend here using these
And a last one for the road, much closer to what my final presets (firmware 11) sounded like ; the first video in this post was probably made with firmware 6
I now use a MFC-101 midi foot controller, with three expressions pedals. One controls the "In Gain", the two others are external 1 and external 2. I shot that video just after starting updating my presets :
Here's how my presets are organized :
Bank A
001-073 : Live use. Basic sounds in bank (presets 1-10), then song specific presets. Most uses scenes for variations.
074-103 : "blank" presets with a basic template in case I want to start a preset from scratch. I also upload other users' presets I want to test here.
104-128 : Other presets for live use, or just having fun at home. Preset 108 is a guitar matching block : http://forum.fractalaudio.com/axe-fx-ii-tone-match/61913-tone-matching-guitars.html
Bank B
129-136 : Recreations of some presets I used on the Standard. May sound slightly different now, they were created on firmware 7
137-199 : Hi gain amps, for lead and rhythm, ordered by amp model. Presets are either stock (with V9 in the name, except when there's also "TDR"), by other users (and usually tweaked to my liking), or by myself from scratch.
208-217 : Vox amps
221-256 : Boutique amps, presets for blues-rock or fusion
BANK C
257-286 : Marshall models (and clones, except the Friedmans which are in bank B, 182-187)
289-298 : Special effects, with distortion
302-384 : Cleans, special effects, synths, bass, templates. I tweaked the amps/cabs/EQ in most of the special effects presets so they're close to my basic clean sounds
User IRs - please read !
Most of my presets won't sound the same if you don't have my user IRs. Unfortunately, some of them are commercial ones, from Ownhammer, RedWirez, Signals Audio etc. and I can't share them. But I can give you the links for the IRs used, and some indications for the recipes where I use mixes (2 or 3 IRs combined into one using Axe-O-Matic DSP : http://www.ownhammer.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=81 ).
I didn't write the mixes recipes, but most of the time, the filename has the basic indications. Example : IR 15, which filename is “15 RW 1960A-G12Ms-M160-ConeEdge0in(60)SM57CapEdge0.5(20)CapOffAx0.5(20).syx
This mix use three microphones on the same RedWirez Marshall 1960A cab :
– Beyer M160, Cone Edge, 0 inch distance (60 = the relative level of the IR, that’s the number I entered in AxeOmatic DSP, which I used to make mixes)
– Shure SM57, CapEdge, 0.5 inch (relative level = 20)
– Shure SM57, CapOff Axis, 0.5 inch (relative level = 20)
Here's the cabs I share, as they are free :
01 TDR Vox mix 1 Mk II.syx (a mix I made from various sources, with some post EQ in a DAW)
02 VOX 412 GSH12 V30.syx (from user "year2525" - http://tinyurl.com/ala83m9 )
03 TDR cln 80-20.syx (a mix I made from various sources, with some post EQ in a DAW)
05 TG E130 B.syx (from user Tyler Grunt - http://tylergrund.com/axefx2.html )
06 JS Altec Cone Paper U357 Ava.syx (from James Santiago - http://tinyurl.com/b336qu4 )
09 TDR warmer Marshall.syx (a mix I made from various sources, with some post EQ in a DAW)
10 TDR Marshall mix 01.syx (a mix I made from various sources, with some post EQ in a DAW)
12 JS EJ1250 Cone Paper U357 Ava.syx (from James Santiago - http://tinyurl.com/b336qu4 )
19 Alu Mesa Trad 4x12 V30 SM57 05.syx (from Alu of www.guitarampmodeling.com)
20 GH ThisOne.syx (from GuitarHack)
21 GH JJ FRED45-HALF.syx (from GuitarHack)
23 Kalthalen 003Tube SM57 V30.syx (from Kalthallen cabs : http://cabs.kalthallen.de/ )
45 Axe1 Brit 4x12.syx (from Axe Fx Gen. 1)
46 Axe1 4x12 75W.syx (from Axe Fx Gen. 1)
47 Axe1 4x12 T75.syx (from Axe Fx Gen. 1)
48 Axe1 4x12 V30.syx (from Axe Fx Gen. 1)
49 GTR body.syx (free acoustic instrument IR, used for synths or tone matches)
50 Cello Body.syx (free acoustic instrument IR, used for synths or tone matches)
08 RW Uberkab goes Dumble.syx (RedWirez mix with 4 mics, no recipe unfortunately - I'll record a demo of that one, alternationg with a stock IR) Edit 20/01/2013 : demo is here :
22 The Messiah.syx ( http://www.criticalcabs.com/ ) - Used on many presets, nice alternative to "ThisOne", my main hi gain IR
24 OH BognerBetaSM57(5)TC30(WF3)45-55.syx (Ownhammer : http://tinyurl.com/ac8vblm - unfortunately this free Bogner Cab, which was temporarily released as a beta, is not available anymore) - Used on some presets, nice alternative to "ThisOne", my main hi gain IR
I've finished updating my Bank A to V7 firmware ; many presets were still untouched still V6, others had little mistakes I wanted to correct. So here's a new video with many updated presets, but also new ones. Banks B and C have been updated too.
1st bank (001-009) : 005 TDR JCM 800 crunch : Took its spot back as my main Marshall crunch sound. Slightly tweaked from previous Bank C version. Exp pedal controls adds gain. Minor tweaks (less reverb) to presets 006 and 007.
2nd bank (010-019) : 013 Metal rhythm DRY : Mistake corrected from previous version (I removed the controller on the drive). The exp. pedal controls the expander/gate's threshold. 014 Metal rhythm WET : Exp. pedal now alternates between the normal sound and a “AM radio” sound.
Banks 030-049 : 030 With or without U2 : slight tweaks for a fatter sound. 031 Streets have no name : slight tweaks for a fatter sound. 035 Magnificent 1 : Updated to V7. Exp. Pedal controls the whammy 036 Magnificent 2 : Updated to V7. Exp. Pedal : toe down clean, toe up drive (for the breaks, and the solo) 037 Magnificent 3 : Updated to V7. I use this for the verses (toe down) and the break (toe up) before switching back to preset 036 for the chorus. 038 Still haven't found : Updated to V7. Exp. pedal Adds gain. Note that the multidelay should be on, I inadvertably stored the preset with the block off. 040 Elevation intro : Updated to V7. Thanks to RACA for the pitch control idea ; it's not the same effect as on the album but it works. 041 Elevation verse/chorus : Updated to V7. Exp. Pedal lowers the gain for the verses. 042 Elevation tremolo : Updated to V7. 043 Vertigo : Updated to V7. Exp. Pedal adds delay for specific parts of the song. 044 Sunday bloody Sunday : Updated to V7. Exp. Pedal adds gain for the harmonics and the solo. 045 Speed of sound CLN : Updated to V7. This is a special take on the Coldplay song, I play the piano melody with this sound. Exp. pedal is used for swells.
Here's an old Version on the Axe Standard :
046 Speed of sound crunch : Updated to V7. Used for the second part of the verses. 047 Speed of sound DRIVE : Updated to V7. Used for the prechorus and chorus. I switch to the neck position of my pickup selector for the chorus. 048 All I want is U2 : Updated to V7. Exp. Pedal adds drive for the lead part of the song. 049 Pride : Updated to V7. Exp. Pedal adds drive for the short lead part.
Banks 050-079 : 051 A tout le monde RTM : Updated to V7 052 A tout le monde LEAD : Updated to V7. 053 A tout le monde harmony : Updated to V7. Added enhancer on the harmony part. Exp. pedal alternates between two custom scales of the harmonizer, for the end of this Megadeth song.
Here's the custom scales, starting from 'A' SHIFT :
custom 1 : 3,3,5,5,4,3,4,3,3,4,3,4
custom 2 : 3,3,5,5,5,3,4,3,3,4,3,4
Remember that I tune in Eb ; this is for playing the song in F# on an Eb tuned guitar.
054 2nd chance crunch/hard : Updated to V7. Alternates between crunch and heavy rhythm sound. I changed the curve to add drive to the crunch sound before morphing into the heavy rhythm sound. This is for a Shinedown cover. 057 Message in a bottle : New preset, replaces “Andy's message”.
The two following presets have not been updated but wasn't presented in my 22 September post : 070 Bogner XTC Blue RTM : An alternate heavy (toe down)/crunch (toe up) rhythm sound. I use it on songs like “Blurry” by Puddle of Mud and “Open your eyes” by Alter Bridge.. 071 Bogner XTC Blue wha : Same sound as 070 but the exp. pedal controls the wha instead of the gain.
072 Bogner XTC lead : Volume raised. 073 Numb : Minor tweaks to the synth sound which was too loud. I made a a little brighter too. Toe up I play the synth melody (a big thanks to user Simeon who helped me get closer to the original synth sound), toe down, a clean counter melody backing. 077 Recto red Mdrn LD : Volume raised. I use this for the lead on “Nothing else matters” by Metallica, and for my cover band version of “Numb” (see my 22 September post for a video).
094 Al Di Meola Man of Leo : A tweaked version of the “Ultimate Dumble” preset to play an old Al Di Meola solo from the album Stomu Yamashta - Go Live From Paris (1978).
I did a (perfectible...) cover of this on the Standard (with a much different sound) :
127 TDR's looper lead : Many tweaks from the previous version, preset is also on AxeChange, see the “Four new presets” link above.
Banks B and C :
Some additions from other users presets (208, 209 in Bank B ; And in Bank C : 316, 319, 320, 321 – I tweaked the last three... I also tweaked preset 290).
usually I have individual presets for each of these sounds, but morphing between them is also fun : transition is seamless with an expression pedal (External 1), which also control delay, reverb or modulation mix. Enjoy :)
